WEEK ONE, Day Three: HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE TEXT

Lorrie Moore

With your fellow actresses read the play out loud, in your best American accent (it will sound a lot better than it did in your head at home.) Go through the text with the director making a list of facts and questions about each scene. For example 'who is Lorrie Moore?' - a question, and 'Charlene, the heroine of our story lives and works in NYC' - a fact. Nominate someone to research questions so that they can enlighten the rest of the cast. Realise that some questions, for instance: 'why does Charlene have an affair with a married man?' cannot be answered by research. The answer to this kind of question may become apparent in a later scene or later in the process, sometimes asking the question is more important than finding the answer. Facts and questions will help unravel the world of the play.

Where does Charlene live?

Whilst going through the text, the director asks you to find 'events' in each scene. Ask what an event is. The director explains that an 'event' is something that changes everyone in the room/scene. An example of a factual event would be someone turning the light off. Think to yourself: 'that would change everyone in the scene'. An example of a verbal event would be someone saying 'I'm leaving you'. Imagine someone you are having an affair with leaving you and how that would change you, begin to think about how to be an other woman.